A Beach Journal:
Walks Along Anna Maria Island

Today’s walk led me straight to Bean Point—and it wasn’t a coincidence. The moment I saw the tropical deep-blue water cascading up toward the shore, shifting into that unmistakable aquamarine clarity, I knew exactly where I needed to be. The contrast between the water and the white sand was breathtaking. Every step felt intentional. The wind had swept over the beach, softening the surface into tiny sculpted peaks, like dense icing sugar dusted across the sand. Walking through it felt almost unreal—light, quiet, and endlessly beautiful. Bean Point…

A Posse of Birds What caught my eye first was a group of birds standing together at the edge of the water — seven of them, lined up and facing the sea as the small waves rolled in. They felt like a little posse, all watching the same horizon, steady and alert. Just beyond them — maybe ten or fifteen feet inland — one solitary, smaller bird was walking with purpose in the opposite direction, heading away from the water. There was something quietly charming about that contrast:…

Some days just hand you a gift, and today was one of those days. I usually start my walk on the north shore of Anna Maria Island, at a place called Park Avenue — wouldn’t you know it. From there, I head up past the Sandbar and continue about three-quarters of the way toward the Point. It’s not a long walk, but it adds up to around 8,000 steps. I kind of shimmy my way up the beach — sometimes dancing, sometimes skipping. Today was more skipping than…